Summary

Trump’s move to defund USAID is causing unintended consequences for American farmers and businesses.

The Washington Post reports that USAID purchases billions in U.S. agricultural products, with American farms supplying 41% of its food aid.

The funding freeze has already halted $340 million in food shipments, leaving tons of wheat stranded in Houston.

Experts warn this decision directly harms American jobs and businesses, as much of USAID’s aid is administered through U.S.-based organizations employing American workers.

  • Fisherman75@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    edit-2
    24 hours ago

    I once thought it was that simple so I understand where people on here are coming from on all this. But after ten years in the San Joaquin valley, ag central, I can tell you, having grown up in Seattle and thus seeing the contrast, there is a distinct power in fundamental formal education and when that is lacking it doesn’t matter what happens to them, the powers-that-be always know how gullible they are and will mold them like playdoh. I think the schools need to be funded by the central government not local governments. Big city liberals should have to put up frankly with their local neighborhood schools being taken down a few notches through evenly spreading education funds across jurisdictions if they don’t want schools way out in the boondocks to be as vapid as one finds them. If you won’t pay for their education my attitude is don’t complain about their politics and try your best not to complain about their intelligence. I find that hard myself - I get frustrated all the time with the people in this small town, but I still try to remind myself what I’ve learned about education itself and I try to have compassion. Maybe that’s what ten years out in the boondocks teaches a Seattleite.

    • ubergeek@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      24 hours ago

      Well, if they don’t turn around, they become far less effectual when dirt poor, thanks to the system they created. And the poorer they are, the faster they die off.

      If you won’t pay for their education my attitude is don’t complain about their politics and try your best not to complain about their intelligence.

      We already do pay for their education. What do you think the Department of Ed does? Title IX funding? It comes from blue states.

      I try to have compassion

      I’ll have compassion for them, once they stop being class traitors.

      • Fisherman75@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        15 hours ago

        My understanding is that it’s the taxes from the surrounding neighborhoods where homes are located that fundamentally pay for schools.

          • Fisherman75@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            42 minutes ago

            Gosh that all sounds ghastly. So big city liberals pay bookoo bucks in property taxes, show up to PTA meetings, school district meetings, talk about what they pay, kids get better educated, become liberals mostly, grow up, repeat; meanwhile, rural kids get little more than dirt to learn with, worse education, pity allowance from big city liberals working their magic in congress, getting them some money from the department of education, at least something more, but it’s not enough, so they grow up poorly educated, become wide open to the sophistry and propaganda of the far right, and now they get picked clean off the countryside, ushered into a voting booth, they vote for a fascist who now moves to eliminate the department of education thus further threatening the quality of their education and what little extra money they get. Am I getting that right? I’m green party so I just find this all very disorienting.